Confessions to a Statue
by Kasienda
Summary: After Marinette bolts from his presence for the hundredth time, Adrien is worried that she doesn't like him. He thinks if he can just make her laugh, she might become more comfortable around him. He is about to instigate the best (worst) prank ever, but then accidentally overhears something that he wasn't meant to that makes him see his friend in a whole new light.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I have decided to drink the kool-aid and dive in with some MLB fic finally!

This is a fix it fic for Puppeteer 2! Contains major spoilers for that Episode.

My beta is on vacation! (She totally deserves it!) So this is un-beta'ed. Please, forgive typos.

…

**Confessions to a Statue**

Adrien watched the doors close behind Marinette as she literally fled his presence. He wanted to go after her, but he was trapped in place by the mold setting in around his hand. He wasn't entirely certain his company would be welcome anyway.

Nino insisted that Marinette didn't hate him, but watching her freak out and run the second they were alone together suggested otherwise. And it seemed to him the more the topic came up, that Nino wasn't being totally honest about Marinette either. Though he couldn't fathom why his best friend would lie about this either.

Adrien started when the wailing disembodied wax head flew from the work bench towards him.

"Plagg! Cut it out!" Adrien chastised even as he chuckled weakly.

"Just trying to distract you from your complicated girl problems!"

Maybe Plagg was onto something. Marinette had seemed a bit off. Perhaps he just needed to Cheer her up. She didn't seem uncomfortable around Chat Noir. Perhaps he just needed to throw out some comedy a few times until she was just as comfortable around Adrien.

The timer on his hand went off and he released himself gleefully. He now just needed to find Marinette.

He headed into the exhibition of the "must know" people of Paris. This was the room his own model would be added to shortly.

"Just be cool. Just be cool," Marinette's voice echoed from the neighboring display area. Her voice grew louder as she approached.

This was his chance. He stealthily climbed onto the platform, and struck a model pose next to wax Audrey Bourgeois.

Marinette wandered in. And shrieked when she saw him standing before her. If he hadn't had a million hours of practice at holding absolutely still for the camera he would have flinched, but as it was, he was a professional.

She immediately relaxed. "That was the opposite of cool Marinette," she mumbled to herself. And then glanced up at him and approached. "These wax models look so real," she commented, leaning in towards him. She was almost close enough. He was going to make her scream and then laugh so hard.

"I'm sorry Adrien," she said softly. She looked down at her hands for a second before she pierced him with her soulful gaze again.

He held his breath.

"I don't mean to be such a spazz around you. I wish I could talk to you. I wish I could carry on a conversation with you like a normal person. I wish you could see me for me. But it's not your fault that you can't. I don't ever let you see me."

He almost spoke then. He couldn't stand the pain in her voice. And he hated even the idea that he had any part in putting it there. But he also didn't want to intrude on what suddenly felt like a very personal moment.

"I'm just scared. I'm scared you won't look at me the same way if you know."

Her eyes were so blue like the sky just after noon, so sincere.

"I'm just crazy about you."

Wait! What?!

"Since the second day we met and you gave me your umbrella even though you thought I hated you. You were so kind. And you've always been kind. You're so patient with me every time I spazz out. You see the best in everyone - give everyone the benefit of doubt. Even someone like Lila who does _not_ deserve it."

His heart constricted in his chest. He wasn't supposed to be hearing this. It was unfair that she was pouring her heart out and she didn't know he could hear her. But he couldn't help but drink in every word like a a man without water in the desert.

"You also seem to handle so much. And as someone who has a hard time juggling all my responsibilities, I really look up to you. And you're easy on the eyes too," she added with a bit of a smirk.

He almost laughed. He almost did. But he had to keep this pose. They were both in too deep. He would not embarrass her at this point.

"And it makes me nervous and my anxiety gets the better of me. Especially when Alya throws me into spending time alone with you with no warning. And now Nino is in on it too. I'm so doomed!"

Her face fell into her hands and her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. He wanted to reassure her, but what could he say? He couldn't return her feelings.

"But I feel like I'm hurting you with my tendency to run away when I panic. So, I'm going to try to do better! I promise!" She stepped up to the display and her arms wrapped around him.

Dear god, her arms around him felt so good. He wanted to melt into her form. But he couldn't. He had to stay frozen.

"Now, I just have to go find you!" She whirled from him and wandered back the way she came. "Just be cool!"

He watched her go. His heart had long since fallen deep into the pit of his stomach.

"You know, I thought this was a terrible idea, but that was amazing kid!" Plagg said, his voice positively gleeful as he hovered over Adrien's shoulder. "I didn't know you had it in you! To be so deceitful just so you could invade her privacy! Genius!"

Adrien stood there, trying to process what had just happened. He hadn't meant to break her privacy. But man, a lot of things suddenly made sense. Even Nino being weird suddenly made sense if he and Alya were trying to hook them up.

"You do remember that you're not a statue, right?"

"Not now, Plagg," Adrien body wilted in resignation.

"I'm just saying, you might want to not be caught in this particular location. Pigtails is looking for you like right now."

Right. He had to find her. He might still be able to cheer her up somehow.

And he would have, if not for the Akuma.

...

He didn't really have time to think about it until Alya, Nino, and Manon had been dropped off, and it was just him and Marinette in the car together. She looked so defeated, and he stared into his hands unsure of how to fix it. He wished with every fiber of his being that he could return her feelings. Because she was so amazing. She was brave, creative, and someone who fought for the benefit of others.

Ladybug had rejected him so many times, he almost wanted to try and see how things could go with Marinette. But that seemed so unfair because she deserved someone who could love her with all of themselves. She didn't need someone who was caught up obsessing over someone else. She deserved so much better than that. She deserved the world.

"Marinette."

"I'm sorry," she said at the same time.

"You can go first," she invited.

"No, no, you should go first," he insisted.

"I'm sorry that I left you in the room alone," she said, staring out the window. "The whole reason we all came to the museum was so you didn't have to be there by yourself, and then we all abandoned you."

"No, it's okay. I'm the one who should be sorry."

"What for?" Her eyebrows furrowed in genuine confusion.

Shoot! She had no idea he had been eavesdropping for her whole confession. "For... uh... making you uncomfortable."

"You didn't make me uncomfortable," she reassured with a small smile. "I did that all myself."

"W-what do you mean?"

She sighed. "I... uh..."

He held his breath, suddenly realizing he didn't want Marinette to confess to him. He didn't want to have to break her heart. Is this how Ladybug felt when he confessed to her?

"I... uh... get anxiety sometimes. And when I panic, I f-feel like I can't breathe. I just have to run."

"It must be hard to cope with something like that. You're very brave to face it everyday."

Pink dusted both of her cheeks and he couldn't hold back a smile.

"T-thank y-you," she stammered.

"You remind me of the girl I love," the words were out of his mouth before he thought them through.

"I... oh. I didn't realize that you loved someone," she turned away to gaze out the window, her shoulders slumping forward.

God, he wanted to smack himself. What was wrong with him? Why would he say that?

"Y-yeah," he agreed, searching for some way to fix this. "But she doesn't see me the same way."

"T-that must be hard," she said, her voice cracked.

Was she crying? He really was making a mess of this.

"Marinette?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Thank you for being my friend. It doesn't seem enough to say, but I feel really lucky that you're in my life." And he really wished with every fiber of his being that he could give her more.

"Yeah, I'm g-glad you're in my life t-too, Adrien," she was smiling again. Her eyes were a bit glassy, but she was smiling. And it looked genuine. Perhaps, that was all he could hope for today.

The car pulled up alongside the bakery and Marinette opened her door.

"See you at school tomorrow?" he called after her.

"Yeah, s-see you at school."

He waved good-bye, and hoped he could make it up to her somehow. Maybe he could help Alya hook her up with Luka or something. He definitely had a crush on Marinette.

...

A/N: I watched this episode today and complained to my husband that I while I love this show (and generally, feel that it's held to high of standards by the fandom), I get so frustrated with their compulsive need to reset everything by the end of an episode. And this little fix-it fic was just spiraling around my head so I had to put in on paper!

Marinette should TOTALLY have confessed to "statue" Adrien. (What was that boy thinking?! Creepy much?!) And I think that the episode could have proceeded almost exactly as it did after that point. Instead, she's WEIRD! And the poor boy is getting mixed signals like crazy whenever he asks ANYONE for clarification.

I have really enjoyed how Ladybug has started to ask Chat Noir for advice. The bit a few episodes ago about how he balances his civilian and heroic lives, and now, asking for advice on how to confess. Goodness knows, he's had a bit of practice! And his response to that question was ADORABLE!

Anyway, I have two more MLB fics in the work, but I want them to actually benefit from a beta's eyes before I post them. Keep an eye out for me! You can also find me on Tumblr - kasienda dot tumblr dot com.

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!

Reviews are love!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Yeah, it was supposed to be a oneshot… but the very next day I wrote a sketch for another two (it may end up being three) chapters because I want to get to the happy ending! I was trying to focus on my other fics, so I didn't get around to polishing this one to be posted for weeks, but you know… It's done now!

…

Marinette went rigid in the seat next to him – making her own impression of a wax statue, Adrien surmised. He would have missed it entirely had he not been watching for it. Her anxiety around him had become so obvious, he wondered how he could have been oblivious for so long.

She twisted around in her seat to watch their two best friends retreating forms as they abandoned Adrien and Marinette for their own "lunch date", before turning back to him with a fragile smile. He beamed back at her, hoping to put her at ease while he internally cursed Alya's brute-like attempts at matchmaking.

He knew that the aspiring journalist meant well, but she was not actually helping. She had left Marinette alone with him for what had to be the fifth time in as many days. And the poor girl was unraveling on the edges, and trying so hard not to show it.

"So, uh, you are the party… I mean… are you excited about doing Nino! I mean _going _to Nino's! Oh god!" Her face fell into her hands. "I thought I was getting better."

He smiled. Thank god, he didn't laugh. He had always thought her tendency to mix up words cute, but now that he knew the reason was that she had feelings for him, it was even more endearing. And she was so much easier to understand and read now. That wasn't the problem.

"Marinette," Adrien interrupted, cutting off her garbled attempts at a sentence, with a hand on her shoulder.

The problem was he was second guessing every action he took and every word he said. Was putting a hand on her shoulder to calm her down just a kind gesture? Or was it straying into leading her on territory? His tone of voice; was it too friendly when he tried to reassure her that he wasn't going to bite her? Or was it too firm and direct, giving away that he knew why she was struggling?

"Just breathe for a minute," he instructed, staring directly into her overblown blue eyes. "Take a minute to think about what you want to say, take another breath, and then say it."

Forget, leading her on? Was this too condescending? Was it sexist of him to assume that she needed his coaching to get out her words? He was only trying to help, especially since she had shared her struggles with anxiety the week prior. But he didn't _know_! And Alya kept stealing Nino away, so he had no one to ask!

He held eye contact as she took a breath and then another, smiling patiently.

"A-Are you excited about Nino's party this weekend?" she finally asked.

He pulled his hand away and offered her a small smile. "Thrilled. I can't believe my dad is letting me go to a co-ed sleepover! Nathalie must have talked him into it. It'll be nice to get to spend time with all my friends. You're going to be there, right?"

Her cheeks blossomed in pink. She was so cute when she did that.

_Focus Agreste!_

"If y-you're there, I would miss it," she said, her smile bright and genuine. Then her face fell. "I mean! _Wouldn't_! I _wouldn't_ miss it!"

"I figured that's what you meant," he said patiently.

She grinned widely at him. "T-Thank you for helping me reset. So, I can get my words out."

"I'm always happy to support you, Marinette. Anxiety is no joke, and your words are worth waiting for."

Her blush deepened. It was adorable.

Their ordered lunch arrived, and they chatted about the upcoming party, their classes, and speculated on what powers the next akuma might possess while they ate. The conversation became less awkward as the meal continued. Really, she was only visibly nervous around him now when she was caught off guard. She could talk to him just fine when they were at school or hanging out with their mutual friends. Marinette was right, she had been getting significantly better at being able to talk around him. Alya just kept throwing her into the deep end of the pool, and Marinette's nerves were likely fried after a week of it.

Adrien didn't know what to do about any of it except be patient when Marinette's tongue twisted all that she wanted to say.

Lunch proceeded without incident, but that didn't stop Adrien from pulling out his phone while Marinette had excused herself to the bathroom to shoot off a text to Alya.

_We need to talk._

_What's up, sunshine?_

_I'd prefer to talk in person. Meet me before school tomorrow?_

_Sure thing!_

...

It had been easy to convince his driver that he had to be at school and hour and a half early for a project. That the project was personal, about and for Marinette, and not any of his classes, remained undisclosed.

"Morning sunshine!" Alya greeted as she took a seat next to him on a bench outside the school building. "What did you want to talk about?"

He offered her a coffee in a paper to go cup, which she took gratefully.

"You need to stop leaving Marinette alone with me," he began without preamble.

Her almond eyes narrowed into slits. "Why? You don't like hanging out with my girl, Agreste?" She was like a mama bear protecting her cub when it came to Marinette.

"No, no, I think the world of Marinette!" He defended, his hands up in surrender. "I love spending time with her. I think that you might... you might be putting too much pressure on her."

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"When she's alone with me it triggers her anxiety. And then when she can't get her words out, she just gets more upset. And you've thrown her into this situation every single day this week. She never gets a chance to recover or breathe. Her panic yesterday was worse than I've seen it get in a long time."

"Thrown her into what situation exactly?" Alya asked, her voice smooth and completely innocent.

"Uh... being alone with me?" he stammered.

"But why would that be stressful, Agreste? You're friends, right?" she pointed out. She took a sip of her coffee.

He shrugged, playing for innocence. "You'd have to tell me."

"Nino _told_ you, didn't he?" she pounded a fist onto her lap. "I'm going to _kill_ that boy!"

"No! Nino didn't tell me!" Adrien objected, determined to keep his friend out of trouble with his girlfriend when he hadn't done anything wrong.

"But you know," she accused, her eyes as sharp as Marinette's needles.

He hesitated. He had no other explanation though. So, he nodded, albeit very reluctantly.

"How?"

His free hand rubbed the back of his neck without thought. He had forgotten what it was like to be under Alya's gaze when she was in interrogation mode. "Actually, Marinette told me."

Ayla's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Marinette told you _what_, exactly?"

He had to admit, she was good. She wasn't going to betray Marinette's trust at all by giving him information he hadn't already admitted to having, which meant if he wanted to truly have this conversation he'd have to come clean. He sighed.

"That she has feelings for me?" He winced at the uncertainty in his own voice.

"So, if she already confessed, why is being in your presence sending the poor girl into anxiety attacks?"

"She doesn't _know_ that she confessed to me?" he offered, completely unable to maintain eye contact.

Alya shook her head. "That makes absolutely no sense."

"Yeah," he agreed, his hand rubbing at the back of his neck soothingly again. He was so screwed. Alya was going to kill him.

"Nino is so dead," she said, coming to her own conclusions.

"No! Wait!" His eyes shot to hers. "It _really_ wasn't him! Marinette did tell me herself. I just... may have been pretending to be a wax model at the time...?"

"What."

He squirmed under her disbelieving gaze. "Please don't hurt me," his begged, crossing his arms in front of his face in self-defense.

"I'm still undecided. Explain," she said flatly.

He told her what happened. He spared not a single self-incriminating detail.

"You are such an idiot!" the brunette scolded, lightly punching his arm. "Why on earth did you let her go that far?"

"It's not like I knew what she was going to say!" he snapped back, feeling defensive. "I thought she hated me!"

"What? That's ridiculous!" Her eyes flashed towards him.

"Is it? I have if she had a crush on me. I asked more than once! I asked about the pictures on her wall. I asked Nino the morning at the museum! They both said no!

She winced. "Nino lying is probably my fault. But it wasn't his place to tell you!"

He held his hands up in surrender. "Touché."

"And Marinette, she was probably just caught off guard. And she panicked."

"Yeah, I'm learning that she says a lot of ridiculous things when she's freaking out," he said with a soft smile.

Alya smirked knowingly over the rim of her to-go coffee cup. "So, why haven't you asked her out then?"

He stared at her in shock, the smile falling from his face. "What? I... uh... Marinette's just a friend."

Alya's jaw tightened, and Adrien found himself shifting slightly away from her, less she decided to punch him.

"Like _hell_ she is! The way you give her that fond smile whenever she stumbles over her words! How you follow her with your eyes during class events. How about whenever there's an akuma you practically body slam Marinette out of harm's way while ignoring everyone else! That's not how you treat a _friend_, Agreste!" 

His green eyes blinked dumbly, as words failed him completely. Did he really do those things?

"Ugh!" Alya growled in frustration. "Nino said you always denied having feelings for her, but seriously! We both figured you were just embarrassed or something."

"Alya, I never meant to lead her or anyone else on," he turned towards her, leaning forward beseechingly. "But I can't. I'm sorry. I'm in love with somebody else."

"_Who_?" she demanded. "You're a sheltered child who doesn't know _anyone_ else!"

"Someone I... work with. It doesn't matter," he dismissed the question with a wave of his hand. "The point is, Marinette deserves someone that can give her their whole heart. I don't know if I ever could and that's not fair to her. She deserves to be happy."

Alya deflated. "Damn it."

They sat next to each other, staring blankly across the street, in the silence created by the metaphorical dead end they had arrived at together.

Adrien took another sip of his coffee, which had grown lukewarm. "I was thinking that maybe we could try to hook her up with Luka," he offered.

"Luka?" she repeated.

"Yeah, he's _clearly_ into her," he turned back towards Alya, his eyes bright with enthusiasm. "She can't be totally unaffected. She brought him to the ice rink with Kagami and I." God, he had asked Marinette for help on his date! He was such an insensitive _moron_. Why had she agreed to help him with Kagami?

"That was her trying to get over _you_!" Alya countered harshly. "It didn't work. Even Luka could see it."

"Luka knows that Marinette likes me?" His cheeks felt suddenly warm.

"Oh, come on! _Everyone_ knows that Marinette likes you! She's so obvious! You're just oblivious."

"I didn't." he muttered petulantly, trying to mask his own embarrassment.

"Apparently, you do!"

They stared at each other unhappily.

"So, how do we fix this?" he asked, breaking the silence.

Alya sighed. "I don't think we can. Unless, you're willing to give up on whatever model bimbo has caught your eye?"

He wanted to object. Ladybug was _not_ some bimbo even if he privately thought she _could_ be a model! (But only if she wanted. He didn't particularly enjoy the role or attention). Instead, he chose not to react, and just shook his head.

"If she ever does manage to confess, promise me you'll be gentle," Alya said, her hazel eyes soft with care for their mutual friend.

"I don't actually _want_ to break her heart," Adrien looked down at his own coffee, finding himself unable to make eye contact.

"Then don't," she begged. "Give it a chance."

"I... I want her to be with someone who can make her happy. I don't think I can do that if I'm in love with someone else."

"That's surprisingly mature of you, sunshine." Alya finally conceded.

"So, you're not mad at me?"

"I'm livid!" And she punched his arm again for good measure.

He rubbed the affected area even as he scowled at his friend.

"But I get it. I really do." She looked up at him then, her mouth twisted into a smirk. "So… are you at _least_ going to tell me who this girl is?"

"Oh, _hell_ no! I've seen how vicious you can be. There's no way I'm subjecting myself or her to that."

Alya laughed. It was an evil laugh of a wicked stepsister he decided. "That's the first intelligent thing you've said all morning."

…

A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Reviews/Comments are love!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I signed up for too many fic exchanges and honestly forgot about this little fic that got me writing in this fandom! So, I opened up this document and just had to finish it!

This is un-beta'ed (like the rest of the story) and unedited, so forgive typos. It was always met to be a quick write. It's still a quick write even if I'm updating it months later.

Hope you enjoy!

…

Marinette had been sitting at the table with her friends for thirty minutes. Alya was showing off some footage she had gotten for the Ladyblog, and Adrien was gushing over it. Nino just shared a look with her and shrugged his exasperation at the antics of the two Ladybug obsessed fans. It was chill, which was nice. But Marinette was on edge because she half expected Alya to grab Nino and ditch her and Adrien at any moment as she had every day that week except today and yesterday. But the moment never came. They made it all the way through the lunch hour without incident.

When the boys split away, Marinette turned to her best friend immediately.

"You stopped pushing me to confess," she accused. "Why?"

Alya didn't look at her, and instead stayed focused on gathering the remains of her lunch. "You've seemed stressed lately is all. I thought I was making it worse."

"You don't think I can do it, do you?" Marinette said.

Alya gave her a flat look, all her patience gone. "_Girl!_ I have long since established that I believe in you!"

"Then why? You've always pushed me!"

Alya looked away again. "Adrien may have come to me worried about you."

The answer caused her to freeze, her mind spiraling with so many possibilities. Was his worrying about her a sign that he liked her? Or did he think little of her after she totally spazzed on him at lunch the other day?

"He was worried about me? Why?"

"I guess he talked you through a panic attack the other day."

Marinette wilted. "Yeah, I guess he did see that. He probably thinks I'm a total spaz."

Alya puts a hand on her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. "He said no such thing. Like I said, he was just worried about you."

"He loves someone else!" Marinette blurted.

Alya's hazel eyes widened. She stopped walking and her eyes flashed in anger. "What? He told you that?"

Marinette felt her own indignation rise. "You_ knew?!_ Is that the real reason you stopped pushing me to confess?"

"I might have known yes, but I wasn't lying when I said that he came to me worried about you. And that I thought you might need a break."

"I _need_ to confess though! Even though I know I'm not going to get the answer I want."

"Why?"

"Because I'm so _stuck_. I feel like this is the only way to move on. I'm going to do it! And I'm going to do it today!"

"Wait!" Alya grabbed for her. But Marinette dodged easily out of her grasp. Maybe all that practice in her suit was finally transferring over to her civilian self.

...

When their last class of the day ended, Marinette followed Adrien and Nino to their lockers. She ignored the sweat in the palm of her hands and the butterflies in her stomach, and clung to the vestiges of Ladybug courage that she knew had to be in there to face akuma after akuma.

"A-Adrien, can you… I mean… can I talk to you for a minute?" She managed. While it wasn't particularly smooth, under the circumstances she was mostly pleased with how that came out.

Nino offered her a wink from over Adrien's shoulder. "See ya tomorrow, dude!" he said, clapping Adrien on the back before disappearing further down the noisy hall.

Adrien turned to her with a patient smile. "What's up Marinette?"

"C-can we sit down for this?" she asked. And he nodded. They both ducked into an empty classroom. He had pulled out a chair from a desk for her before sitting down at her side. Her hands shook, so she clenched them stubbornly.

"I…" she looked up into his gentle green eyes that waited serenely for whatever she was going to say. And she suddenly felt calm. Whatever he thought of her confession, he wouldn't be cruel. It wasn't who he was. "This may uh… feel like it's out of nowhere, but I wanted you to ah… kn-know…" she glanced away, over his shoulder. She could finish that sentence however she wanted. She could walk away right now. She knew he loved someone else. She almost did it.

But she wanted to move forward. She had to do this.

She turned back to his soft gaze with new resolve. "I wanted you to know that I have a crush on you."

She felt freer with the words out of her mouth, lighter like she could flutter away like an actual ladybug.

"A-and I know you probably don't feel the same," she continued rapidly. "I was hoping that you might… uh… consider us becoming more than friends."

And she ran out of words at that instant. Her hands writhed in her laps like wriggling worms, but she forced herself to look at him again. She had to know his reaction even if it was going to tear her into pieces.

He was smiling, but there was a sadness to it. She felt herself wilt. Even though she expected it, it was hard not to feel disappointed.

"I'm super flattered Marinette," he said, his voice soft with understanding. "I think anyone would be lucky to have you. I wish it could be me honestly," he added. "I'd be lying if I said I've never thought about it before. But my heart belongs to someone else. And I care too much about you to string you along."

"It's okay, Adrien. Thank you for being so kind about this." It was amazing that she could suddenly speak coherently. It was like all that nervous energy had dissipated into the air. She felt shockingly calm. Like sure, her throat felt too tight and her eyes burned; she was totally and definitely going to break down in tears the second she walked away, but for the moment she would keep it together like she always did under fire. She could and would cry later.

"I hope you know that I consider you to be an amazing friend, and I hope that can continue."

"I hope so too," she whispered. She started to stand up, but then dropped back down into her seat against her better judgement. "I have no right to ask, but who is this girl?"

He hesitated. His hand rubbed the back of his neck. "She's someone I work with, but I can't tell you her name. It could get us both in trouble."

"I understand. Would you tell me about her?" she asked without thought. What was she doing?! She could picture Alya screaming at her to protect her own heart. But she just had to know. It was like the need to pick at a scab. Except this was a raw and fresh wound. So fresh, she hadn't realized it had happened yet. So, not like picking at a scab at all.

He squirmed at the question, his gaze shifted away from her for the first time since their conversation had started.

"You don't have to!" she quickly corrected. "I imagine it's kind've personal."

"It's not that. It seems really insensitive to your feelings to talk about another girl."

"Please," Marinette begged. "I want to know who could capture your heart."

"If you're sure?"

She nodded again.

His gaze turned distant as he remembered. "Umm... we got caught up in the very first akuma attack together."

"Stoneheart?"

"Yeah, we got tangled... I-I mean trapped together. She was so scared. Completely panicking really."

"And you saved her?" Marinette asked, watching the memories play out on his face with her own sad smile.

He laughed with such genuine delight and her heart ached. "Not even close! I might have said some reassuring words. But _she's_ the one that saved us. Like despite her fear, she stood up when it mattered. I was inspired. And I just looked up to her so much in that moment and I never really stopped."

"I hope she knows how lucky she is to have your affection," she said softly.

He laughed again, deprecatingly. There was no joy here, and her indignation flared on his behalf. "No, not really," he confided. "I think I've confessed too many times. She respects me as a partner on the job, but outside of that, I think I irritate her."

"What?! But you're so genuine!"

He shrugged. "She thinks I don't take our job seriously enough because I crack jokes all the time." Adrien suddenly makes eye contact and his face falls into a frown. "Oh God! I'm sorry! I'm sure you don't want to hear all of this! I'm terrible."

"You're really not. If you were this would be much easier," her throat closed up, and to her horror a few tears slipped passed her best efforts to hold them back.

"Please Mari, don't cry," he begged. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked about her. I knew it was a bad idea. I never wanted to hurt you."

"It's not your fault," she choked out. "You can't help the way you feel."

"But you make me wish that I could. I wish I could say yes. I've been in your shoes. I don't want to hurt you. But I can't say yes when I don't feel the same. I don't want to play around with your feelings. It would be the same as lying to you. I don't want to do that. You're more than my classmate, Marinette. You're my friend. And I never want to lie to a friend."

She froze. Those words felt so familiar, but it took her a second to place it. Those were _her_ words.

Her words to Chat Noir.

She couldn't breathe.

"Marinette?" Adrien called, concerned. He placed a hand on her arm. She could picture the black mask over his face easily now. "You okay? Are you having a panic attack?"

She shook her head. "I-I..." She couldn't get the words around the brick in her throat. Maybe she _was_ panicking.

"I-Is that what she said to you?" the question exploded from her like water suddenly rushing past a blockage. "When you confessed to her, is that what she said?" she demanded, not bothering to hide the urgency with which she needed to know.

He blushed. "I… Y-yeah, I'm sorry. I'm not very original. She just did such a good job of letting me down easy. I guess she is my role-model in more than one way."

A girl that he worked with. Whose name he couldn't say. Who didn't like his jokes…

Tears poured unrestrained down her cheeks, but for a wholly different reason.

"Marinette?"

Adrien was Chat Noir. Chat Noir was in love with Ladybug. _She_ was Ladybug.

Adrien was in love with _her_.

"Y-you love me," she sobbed.

His face went pale. "Marinette," he started. "I just said…"

She pressed a finger to his lips before he could misunderstand.

"It's okay Chaton, I won't tell anyone."

He went rigid, frozen solid as an iceberg. "H-How?" he babbled. "You can't tell anyone! Ladybug is going to be so mad."

"She won't be," Marinette assured.

"You don't know her like I do!" he countered, his hand flying through his perfectly styled hair in his panic. She liked it better wild and free, the way he wore it as Chat Noir. "Keeping our identities is like the most important thing!"

Marinette grabbed his hand and yanked him down to her eye level.

"I'm not mad at you!" she shouted at him. "I only felt that way because I want to protect my family. And my… friends."

She saw the moment when he connected the… spots. (Oh God! Now, he had her punning.) His eyes widened into gaping vats. He breathed in but had yet to exhale.

She poked him gently in the side. "Breathe, Adrien."

"My Lady?" he whispered in shock.

"That's me," she admitted with a smirk.

He stared at her for a full twenty seconds and she just kept grinning. "It's so obvious," he finally said.

"Yeah, I don't know how I couldn't recognize you either," she agreed.

They fell into silence, just staring at one another. Marinette fidgeted, uncertain where they stood with one another, unsure of where to begin, but not being able to take the awkward quiet.

"I…"

"We…"

Then they start talking at the same time, only to immediately stop to let the other speak.

"For the love of all things miraculous!" Plagg whined, his head poking out of Adrien's jacket. "One of you should be rude and go first!" Glaring at Adrien in accusation.

"Plagg!" Tikki scolded, phasing out of Marinette's purse. "Let them figure it out."

"Why do I have to listen to this?" Plagg demanded. "It's always the same! Every single time."

"Don't mind him. I'll take care of him," Tikki promised. She flew up to Adrien's chest, grabbed Plagg, and they both darted completely out of sight.

And then Adrien and Marinette both burst into laughter. When they finally recovered, Marinette glanced over, and felt the heat rush into her face.

"So… uh... does this change things for you, Adrien?" she made herself ask.

"Does it change things for you?" he countered, his frame rigid with sudden tension. "Honestly, Chat Noir is just me without a filter, but you don't seem to care for him as much."

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Uh… no?" he offered with a nervous smile, as his hand rubbed the back of his neck. She had seen him make that gesture on both sides of his mask so many times.

"Chaton! I _adore_ you! I _always_ have! I don't know how I would face any of this without you! It's just…"

"Just?" he prompted when she trailed off. His eyes sparkling with hope again.

"Your timing _sucks_ sometimes! If I think about what you're saying in the middle of a battle, I'm going to laugh, and then stumble or trip or something stupid and then we _lose! _And we _can't _lose!"

"I make you laugh? You think I'm funny!" he repeated gleefully, rocking backwards into his chair, that insufferable superior smirk bloomed across his face.

"Here, I am catastrophisizing, and _that's_ what you get out of it?" she demanded hotly. "I can't believe I fell in love with such a peacock," she mumbled under her breath.

"I don't mean to make light of your fears, Buginette," he said, making an attempt at a sober expression, but mostly failing. "I don't think you realize how giddy and hysterical I am right now."

"I get it." She felt the same. Everything was awhirl. It was too loud and too bright, but it was also too amazing and beautiful with heady rush of adrenaline to go along with it. She felt like a fireworks show was going off in her chest.

"Wait!" his eyes snapped up to hers. "You said you're in love with me?"

"Where have you been?! That's how this whole conversation started!"

"Right," he added softly. "But I didn't know that you were Ladybug in that moment. _Ladybug_ is in love with _me_," he squealed.

"I guess she is," Marinette repeated, not minding the blush that bloomed across her face.

He took her hand in his own, and pulled her knuckles up to his lips. "May I kiss you, My Lady?"

"Please!"

His lips were soft and so gentle. And she felt like she was ruining it because she couldn't stop smiling even as he left soft touches on every corner as he kissed her again and again. Until she couldn't contain her joy anymore, and just burst into giggles.

"We need a story!" Adrien interjected, not at all bothered by her hysterically happy display. Their fingers were interlaced, and his firm grip told her he had no intention of letting go anytime soon.

"What's wrong with I got up the nerve to confess, and you finally said yes?" Marinette asked.

"_Alya's_ what's wrong with that story. She knows that I am in love with someone else that I work with."

"That's been me all along…" she whispered in awe. "The story you told about Stoneheart! That was _me_!"

He laughed. "Yes, I suppose it was! And the other boy you liked, was me! God, I was so jealous of that boy! And so angry with him for being such an idiot! I'm sorry, Marinette."

"I'm sorry too, Chaton for not seeing all of you either."

He leaned in to kiss her again, and this time she relaxed, let her own lips go soft as she pressed them back into his. She felt the butterflies of nerves explode in her stomach again. She was kissing Adrien Agreste! The boy she had a crush on since forever! And she was kissing Chat Noir, her best friend and partner, who had stood between her and peril too many times. She didn't have to hurt him anymore.

Things could not be more perfect.

"So about that story?" Marinette whispered as he pulled away just slightly, a grin lighting his face.

"Uh huh," he mumbled, clearly distracted.

"Maybe you could just say that the girl you were crushing on got into a fight with you. That she wasn't who you thought she was. And that my confession was just so amazing and heartfelt that it swayed you. That you felt seen and understood, and that you had to give us a chance."

"I don't like it."

Marinette giggled. His pout was so cute.

"Why not? It's all true!" she insisted.

"But it's misleading! And makes you look bad!" he objected.

Marinette barreled on as if he hadn't spoken, counting off her points on her fingers. "We get into fights all the time!"

"_Together!_ We get into fights together as allies!"

"And the girl you liked isn't who you thought she was."

"She's so much better!" he growled.

"And I hope that you do feel seen and understood now?"

"Better than ever before."

"So just go with my story."

He sighed. "I have a hard time letting anyone think poorly of any side of you, Buginette."

Marinette blushed. "Ladybug can take it. She's tough. Please? This lets us be together now, in front of Alya without having to compromise our identities or take things frustratingly slow."

He kissed her again. "Whatever you want, Buginette. I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered. This day turned out so much better than she ever thought it would. She was so grateful she had found the courage to confess.

…

A/N: Reviews and comments are love!

Thanks for reading!


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